Before I start, I'd like to point your attention at this archive: [misc.rar]

It's a "Secret History Of Star Fox" from the Official UK Nintendo Magazine, at the time Star Fox Assault came out. There's a few things of interest in there from Starwing/Star Fox and Star Fox 2 - A special Star Fox competition cart (P2.jpg), hints that there's bits left over from earlier builds of Starwing/Star Fox in the final version of it (P1.jpg), and 2 boxes on Starfox 2 (P4.jpg). Where you want these put is up to you, Saz.

To remain region neutral, I've not referred to Starwing/Star Fox 1 by name at any point. Star Fox 2 never having a release means there was no Starwing 2, so everyone can be happy with that. If something is [in brackets], it's a hyperlink - I wasn't sure what format you wanted them in regarding HTML or some sort of BBCode, so I hope these'll do.

Also, I've written this magazine style - no direct referrals to "I", not a single emote in the entire text.

I trust both of these are OK?

On with the show!

---Summary Page---

[sf2-alpha1.png] [sf2-final12.png] [sf2-e1.png] (all centred)

Starfox 2 - The SNES title that's legendary for never having been released. Based off the made-for-the-game Super FX 2 chip, this title never saw the light of day in the form of a commercial release. At E3 1995, Nintendo showed off their latest hit to the gaming press for the last time - before it was quietly buried soon afterwards. The SNES was running out of momentum, and it was judged that it would cost more to release Starfox 2 than to just abandon it, although it was all but finished. Many ideas from Star Fox 2 were taken and put into the N64 Star Fox game - Star Wolf, the more free movement, and expanding the cast from the original 4. The Super FX 2 wasn't wasted - it was later put into Doom and Stunt Race FX.

There are 3 known versions of Starfox 2 (4 if you count the translation). The first one is a very early version - of little practical use as it has never been emulated. However, the creators have since confirmed that it's legitimate - it's apparently an engine test based off the first game in the series. The second is an early alpha of the game, still only using the Super FX chip, not the Super FX 2, and only runs on a very specific version of ZSNES. Finally, the 3rd is the one that was in essence finished, save a few bits and pieces, which have since been corrected. More detail on each of these are on the relevant pages.

---Magazine scans---

(Note - I didn't really find anything (it's amazing the lack of scans on this game. You'd have better luck asking Nintendo fans who bought mags in this era and still have them to check for scans), though I did find 3 photos (sadly watermarked) from when the game was at CES.

[ces1.jpg][ces2.jpg][ces3.jpg]

---Early demo---

Not an awful lot is known about this ROM. It's unemulated, so it's impossible to get screenshots from. It's very small in size, 256KB or 2MBits. All that's really known about it is that it was an engine test based off Starfox 1 (Starwing in the EU) - this has been confirmed by Argonaut themselves.

Still, you can grab the rom from [here=sf2-enginetest.rar]

---Early Alpha--

[sf2-alpha1.png, centred]

This ROM is the earliest playable version of Starfox 2 that there is. It only runs in one specific emulator - ZSNES version 1.17, aka Windows port 0.85. This version of Starfox 2 features different music to the final release, and a few graphical changes - most notably, this version has Chibi-heads in the Arwings of each character, while the final doesn't.

[table start] (2-cells-per-row-table-format, with the screenshot in either the left or right cell depending on whether the [picture] is before or after the text)

[sf2-alpha2.png] After choosing Mission from the rather barebones title screen, this screen comes up, which doesn't seem to really do anything, until you hit A or Start, when you reach:

This screen, which gives us character names. As can be seen, all 4 of the original crew are in this build, along with 2 new characters called Saru and Lady, who we'll be seeing pictures of later. [sf2-alpha3.png]

[sf2-alpha4.png] At this stage of development, the map screen wasn't done, but there is a fair few levels available, though none have proper names yet.

In game, in Mission mode. Note the debug co-ords on screen - those are present in all game modes. The top right houses the map, with the enemies indicated as the letter Es and the player as the arrow. The bottom right houses the boost bar and the health, now displayed as a grid of coloured balls rather than the bar of the last game. Bottom left houses special items remaining, top left the score. [sf2-alpha5.png]

[sf2-alpha6.png] The 4 compass directions are shown on the screen, to help you know which way to go. The game is played as a fully 3D battle arena, with a set number of enemies to destroy - as shown left of the map. In the final, these types of arena in space are cleared when all the enemies are destroyed - at this stage, it just spawns more enemies in the arena.

East-facing Arwing. This type of 3D arena is a first - this was possibly the first fully-3D blaster of its type. [sf2-alpha7.png]

[sf2-alpha8.png] Here's one of the enemies in this version - a small flamingo-esque robot. Easy blasted with the traditional blaster or one of the newly modelled Nova Bombs - same effect as the original, but now fires more like a missile.

Note one of the circles in the bottom right has gone red - the Arwing has taken damage. When all of the spheres go red, the ship explodes and it's game over. [sf2-alpha9.png]

[sf2-alpha10.png] A final show of the west facing direction. All the directions are different colours, presumably as an extra navigational aid to the player.

One final new trick in this game is the introduction of the Arwing walkers. Press the select button to switch between your standard Arwing fighter and this walked, which can move around the map on the floor - up/down makes it move forwards/backwards and left/right sidesteps. To face a different direction, you use L and R. This is what the transformation sequence looks like. [sf2-alpha-walker.gif]

[sf2-alpha11.png] Here's the first selection screen for the 2 player Battle mode. It's a 3 round battle to the death, with the combatants first choosing an arena order to fight in (a to d on the screenshot), with the top scores shown on the right. Confirming the choice, you then go to:

[sf2-alpha.png] [sf2-alpha.png]

[sf2-alpha.png] This screen. The top left screenshot shows Fox & Falco's Arwings, the top right shows Peppy and Slippy's, and the bottom left shows Lady and Saru's (Lady on the top, Saru on the bottom). Lady looks like a female fox of some kind, while oddly Saru looks like Andross.... Note how the 3 screens each have a different kind of Arwing. There are 3 types - Fox/Falco, the traditional Arwing shape, Peppy/Slippy which has an angled beak and is much wider, and Lady/Saru which is like a traditional Arwing with flared wings. In-game shots of the 2 new Arwing types will be shown later.

Another state of the art menu screen again. 2 ground arenas, 2 space ones and a Marine arena. [sf2-alpha15.png]

[sf2-alpha16.png] In game Battle. Each player has their own map screen, and the interface is much more condensed to everything fits on. Note no enemies here - it's a 1 on 1 match. The Arwings I've chosen here are the Lady/Saru ones - note how they look different to a normal Arwing.

Test mode, the first choice screen for which is shown here, seems to have the arenas used in Mission, but without any enemies in. It goes from this screen... [sf2-alpha17.png]

[sf2-alpha18.png] ...to one where you choose your character to fly in the stage with...

...and then this rather odd choice. Choose one, and a level will start. [sf2-alpha19.png]

[sf2-alpha20.png] I chose a Space level, using the Peppy/Slippy Arwing, which looks a bit like a normal Arwing but fatter. Standard layout for Mission, as you can see, but note no enemies.

Choosing Training from the main screen brings up this. It's basically a little wire-frame background that acts like the control test screen in the original game, this time with only 2 choices of controls, not 4. Note in the bottom left the Arwing groups - Saru and Lady's icons are quite different to the Chibi-Arwing heads - indeed, The right one of the 2 is a completely different style to the other heads here, and the left one looks like neither character! [sf2-alpha21.png]

[sf2-alpha22.png] Finally, here's a shot of config mode. It has a choice for stereo/mono sound, a sound test, and what appears to be a control pad debugging console - basically it's a prototype options screen.

[end table]

Intrigued your interest? You can grab the rom [here=sf2-earlyalpha.rar] , which is bundled with the specific emulator that's needed to play it.

---Main ROM---

[sf2-final12.png] (centred)

This is the latest known version of Starfox 2. The ROM is NOT a dump of any kind, oddly, nor is it anything to do with the E3 cart where Starfox 2 got its final public showing - as that one wasn't finished. Back in 2002, somebody from either Argonaut or Nintendo (it isn't known which, as the source remained anonymous) leaked the source code for the completed, but debug-enabled, Japanese version of the game. Given to several emulator developers, it was compiled and then they began to work on actually emulating it. Later on, the English language translation for the image began being worked on - the compression used in-game had to be cracked just so the translation could be done, hence why it took so long - the job wasn't fully finished until 2004. Finally, the compiled ROM was given a proper header so that it would run correctly in emulators that supported this.

Quite why only the Japanese version was leaked still remains somewhat of a mystery. Magazine scans show both an English and a Japanese version of the game, so unless the shots were doctored into English in an image editor (unlikely, considering how most gaming mags tend to publish Japanese photos in their previews section if no English game exists), English code must have existed. Perhaps we'll never know why only the one was leaked.

Unlike previous protos, this version of Starfox 2 uses SRAM, so high scores can be saved - something the original game couldn't do.

Onward now, to screenshots.

[table format]

[sf2-final1.png] The game starts off with a spiralling Nintendo logo with fiery letters entering the screen. Note the frame rate in the top left - this is plastered over practically every screen in the game.

A dragon flies in and starts shooting laser beams out of its mouth, carving ships up like turkey roasts... [sf2-final2.png]

[sf2-final3.png] ...and destroying them.

It's called the Mirage Dragon, and it's under the control of Andross. [sf2-final4.png]

[sf2-final5.png] Biting onto a ship, it then throws it into another one, blowing both up...

...and in a nice touch, goes for the camera! [sf2-final6.png]

[sf2-final7.png] This game saw the first appearance of the Great Fox, shown here with 2 Arwings entering it.

Starfox logo on the side, as the camera pans around... [sf2-final8.png]

Note it has the 5 options that the Alpha does, though they do different things, as we'll soon see. [sf2-final12.png]

[sf2-final13.png] But first, we go to mission mode, where Andross, still smarting from his defeat by the Star Fox team last game, is launching his revenge.

The game sees him randomly occupy different planets in the Lylat system, and launching battleships at Corneria. [sf2-final14.png]

[sf2-final15.png] General Pepper takes a bit more of an active role this time. He explains how the game works at the start, and he'll occasionally pop-up on the map screen or send messages after you defeat a major obstacle like a battleship or planet.

The idea behind the game is really quite simple. Andross has launched an armada and lots of missiles, heading towards Corneria (arrowed.) [sf2-final16.png]

[sf2-final17.png] In this case, they're here on the map.

He also occupies random planets, and starts launching missiles from them. You can use the Great Fox, currently over Corneria, to jump between planets much faster than if you flew there - bearing in mind whenever you move, missiles and other ships on the map do. [sf2-final18.png]

[sf2-final19.png] If the % of damage to Corneria here gets above a certain level, the game is over.

The final selection screen for the 6 characters. And we can now see that though the 6 characters have been kept... [sf2-final20.png]

[sf2-final21.png] The names have changed, and the animals! We now have Miyu, a tiger...

And Fay, a dog. [sf2-final22.png]

[sf2-final23.png] Peppy's ship is shown here so you can see the revised shape of the Peppy/Slippy Arwing from the alpha design. It's also interesting to note that now the 3 Arwing types have different strengths and weaknesses - Fay/Miyu get better speed at the cost of less boost and health, as well as 3 temporary shields. Peppy/Slippy get more boost and shielding but lower speed, and 3 Health Recoveries. Fox/Falco have average of everything and slightly lower speed than that of Miyu/Fay, but are the only ones to carry Nova Bombs - you get 3, as in the first game.

With both craft selected, you're treated to a little animation of both blasting off down the Great Fox... [sf2-final24.png]

[sf2-final25.png] ...which then cuts to outside the ship...

...and out into the unknown. [sf2-final26.png]

[sf2-final27.png] When you encounter an enemy, they fly away from the camera, as you fly in, then you take control in classic Star Fox series style.Main HUD. Pretty similar to the alpha, though the "GOLD" is now gone, a timer has been added, and a few things have been moved around. The indicator on the right side tells you your height in relation to the battle arena. [sf2-final28.png]

[sf2-final29.png] When you clear a battle, the time you took is added onto your total time, which is used as your final score at the end of the game. Here, Falco's Arwing is displayed - you can tell which Arwing belongs to who as each of the 2 from the 3 types is either red or blue depending on pilot.

This animation is shown just before you start an attack run on a battleship. Really shows off the power of the un-released Super FX 2 chip. Note the occasional 'glitching' of the graphic is an intentional special effect. [sf2-final-battleship.gif]

[sf2-final30.png] The space around a battleship is always green, almost nebula-esque. Note the new fig on the screen of asteroid count.

Again with the "Y to boost". It's this game's "Do a barrel roll." Asteroid count is gone now Falco is near to the Battleship. [sf2-final31.png]

[sf2-final32.png] When you get close to a battleship, the CPU takes control...

And flies you inside the ship. [sf2-final33.png]

[sf2-final34.png] Fox alerting the player about how to change into Walker mode. The corridors in this ship are a similar style to the Space Armada level in the first game.

There's a General Pepper coin in each level, and a record is kept of how many you've found in the Records screen. Here, Falco has just collected one. [sf2-final35.png]

[sf2-final36.png] For the Battleship bosses, you're forced down into Walker mode, which you need to be in ideally to hit the thing anyway.

Walker blasting at the core of a Battleship. It'll occasionally fire the O shaped energy beams at you, but they're easy enough to dodge. [sf2-final37.png]

[sf2-final38.png] And when it's defeated, the player flies out in the same way as Fox does at the end of Space Armada.

The ship even blows up in the same way! Andross tends to stick to failed designs, it seems. [sf2-final39.png]

[sf2-final40.png] Once a Battleship and the immediate missiles heading at Corneria are out of the way, Pepper will send you a message about some sort of build-up around Venom... (note "Taitania" in this shot, not Titania as is the correct name)

By around this point, Andross has noticed you blasting the crap out of his fleet, and decides to send something at you... [sf2-final41.png]

[sf2-final44.png] Incidentally, this boss fight is where you actually find out the thing's name, as shown below.

However, from this point on you'll be hounded by Star Wolf. This game was in fact where they got their introduction, NOT the N64 Star Fox title. [sf2-final45.png]

[sf2-final46.png] Leon here is the first you'll meet...

...he's easily seen off, but there's another 3 after him. [sf2-final47.png]

[sf2-final48.png] The Target screen shows switches on the planets. You have to stand on the switches in walker mode...

...as Pepper is talking about here... [sf2-final49.png]

[sf2-final50.png] In order to open the central point on the level.

You then fly down into the planet in another tunnel section to destroy a boss down there. [sf2-final51.png]

[sf2-final52.png] More examples of the power of the Super FX 2 - The Arwing can catch fire down here!

Incidentally, if you pause at any point on a planet in the final, You get a little mini-map of the Lylat system, showing planets invaded by Andross (Red border) and the one you're currently at (the green square). [sf2-final53.png]

[sf2-final54.png] Moving out of the main game, this is the final records screen. There are spaces for the best times and scores, and at the top right the number of Pepper coins you have collected.

This is the test screen. Select an option, and you're shown... [sf2-final55.png]

[sf2-final56.png] ...this. Hit A again, and it launches you into the level you chose earlier:

For example, here's Venom. [sf2-final57.png]

[sf2-final58.png] In this version, training is boring. It just launches the main game without the intro from Andross and Pepper.

Finally, here's config mode. Note that like Test, it has a new font to the previous version, and now has some extra stuff down in port - the top ones are changeable and seem to be related to the sound test. [sf2-final59.png]

[end table]

You can download the ROM [here=sf2-final.rar], though most people will want to play the [translated version=hyperlinked to the translation section of the game info].

Cheat Codes:

L+R+START+SELECT Reset L+R+X Switches the Frame Counter off and on L+R+B (in the map screen) Activates Messages and attack of Andross L+R+Y (in the map screen) Destroys all opponents on the map immediately and sends the player immediately to the last level. L+R+A (in the map screen) Causes immediate Game Over

---Translation---

[sf2-e1.png] (centred)

The main version of Starfox 2 finally got translated into English in 2004. There are 2 versions of this ROM - one with the debug stuff removed and cleaned up (in essence, what the game would have been had it been launched), and one with just the translation.

A few quick screenshots showing changes from the Japanese version, taken from the clean version so there's no debug info in these shots:

[table format again]

[sf2-e1.png] Main title screen. The translators took the liberty of changing the logo slightly, possibly to show that this ROM is the translation not the original from a quick glance.The translated record screen. Saved records are stored here, as is the number of General Pepper coins you've found. [sf2-e2.png][sf2-e3.png] This is from the opening sequence, after you have chosen a difficulty level from Mission. Though not the same font used in the English magazine screenshots floating around the web, the translations are clear, concise, and don't look out of place.More from the intro sequence. [sf2-e4.png][sf2-e5.png] The mapscreen comes up, as Pepper starts talking about the object of the game.The translated Pilot Select screen. [sf2-e6.png][sf2-e7.png] More from the mapscreen...Which is seen here in all its English glory. [sf2-e8.png][sf2-e9.png] The in-game text is also, naturally translated. This particular one isn't QUITE "Do a barrel roll!" in terms of how often it comes up, but does appear a fair bit.

[end table]

Cheat Codes (Debug version only):

L+R+START+SELECT Reset L+R+X Switches the Frame Counter off and on L+R+B (in the map screen) Activates Messages and attack of Andross L+R+Y (in the map screen) Destroys all opponents on the map immediately and sends the player immediately to the last level. L+R+A (in the map screen) Causes immediate Game Over

Overlord: Also, I've discovered something unsettlingOverlord: The Now Playing and Fucking Love/Hate sections on people's sigsOverlord: Are faded/darked versions of coloursOverlord: Grey is dark white, and the other 2 can be lightened to be red and blue, as they areNiktheGreek: YupOverlord: What flag uses the colour and layout of the setup?Overlord: RUSSIAOverlord: IT'S AN INVASION D:NiktheGreek: XDDDDD

There is a specific build of ZSNES that's optimised to run Final Starfox 2 - it's about on the web somewhere.

As for the alpha - only the emu that's packed with it will run it. Nothing runs the other one.

Oh, regarding the article - I have one more page:

--- Unused Music ---

A few music tracks that are available to listen to via Config mode aren't in the main game. You can listen to them [here=spcs.rar].

The unused tracks are as follows:

Unused BattleUnused Battle (faster)Unused Battle 2Unused Battle 3Unused CutsceneUnused Cutscene 2Unused Opening Remix - this is kind of a cross between the opening from the first game and the Great Fox moving off just before the title screen of Starfox 2.Unused Corneria - A slight remix of Corneria's theme from the last game - was Corneria to be a playable level at one point?

Overlord: Also, I've discovered something unsettlingOverlord: The Now Playing and Fucking Love/Hate sections on people's sigsOverlord: Are faded/darked versions of coloursOverlord: Grey is dark white, and the other 2 can be lightened to be red and blue, as they areNiktheGreek: YupOverlord: What flag uses the colour and layout of the setup?Overlord: RUSSIAOverlord: IT'S AN INVASION D:NiktheGreek: XDDDDD

The StarFox 2 friendly emulators can be found here! I did some diging a long time ago, and uploaded those to arwinglanding.net. Also, I uploaded a lot of videos there. Stealfox might like this news, although, kinda old to me and him. But great work nonetheless.

Overlord: Also, I've discovered something unsettlingOverlord: The Now Playing and Fucking Love/Hate sections on people's sigsOverlord: Are faded/darked versions of coloursOverlord: Grey is dark white, and the other 2 can be lightened to be red and blue, as they areNiktheGreek: YupOverlord: What flag uses the colour and layout of the setup?Overlord: RUSSIAOverlord: IT'S AN INVASION D:NiktheGreek: XDDDDD